3 Oliver goes to London
3 奥利弗前往伦敦
Oliver was now officially an undertaker’s assistant.
奥利弗现在正式成为了一名殡仪馆学徒。
It was a good, sickly time of year, and coffins were selling well.
那是一年中疾病多发的好时节，棺材卖得很好。
Oliver gained a lot of experience in a short time, and was interested to see how brave some people were after a death in the family.
奥利弗在短时间内积累了很多经验，他饶有兴致地发现，有些人在亲属去世后表现得多么“勇敢”。
During funerals for some rich people, for example, he saw that the people who had cried the loudest in church usually recovered the fastest afterwards.
例如，在一些富人的葬礼上，他发现那些在教堂里哭得最凶的人，往往事后恢复得也最快。
He noticed how in other wealthy families the wife or the husband often seemed quite cheerful and calm despite the recent death — just as if nothing had happened.
他注意到在其他富裕家庭中，尽管刚刚有人离世，妻子或丈夫却常常显得相当愉快和平静——就好像什么都没发生过一样。
Oliver was very surprised to see all this, and greatly admired them for controlling their sadness so well.
看到这一切，奥利弗感到非常惊讶，并对他们能如此好地控制悲伤情绪深感钦佩。
He was treated badly by most of the people around him.
他受到了周围大多数人的恶劣对待。
Noah was jealous because Oliver went out to burials while he was left back in the shop, so he treated him even worse than before.
诺亚很嫉妒，因为奥利弗可以外出参加葬礼，而他却被留在店里，所以他对奥利弗比以前更差了。
Charlotte treated him badly because Noah did.
夏洛特对他不好，是因为诺亚也这样对他。
And Mrs Sowerberry was his enemy because Mr Sowerberry was supposed to be his friend.
而索厄伯里太太成了他的敌人，只因索厄伯里先生本该是他的朋友。
One day something happened which might seem unimportant, but which had a great effect on Oliver’s future.
有一天发生了一件看似微不足道的事，却对奥利弗的未来产生了重大影响。
Noah was in a particularly bad mood one dinnertime, and so he tried to make Oliver cry by hitting him, pulling his hair, and calling him horrible names.
一天晚饭时，诺亚心情特别糟糕，于是他试图通过殴打、扯头发和辱骂来把奥利弗弄哭。
This was all unsuccessful, so he tried personal insults.
这一切都没有奏效，于是他开始进行人身攻击。
‘Workhouse, how’s your mother?’ he asked.
“济贫院的小崽子，你妈怎么样了？”他问道。
‘She’s dead,’ replied Oliver, his face going red with emotion.
“她死了，”奥利弗回答，脸因激动而涨红。
Noah hoped that Oliver was going to cry, so he continued. ‘What did she die of, Workhouse?’
诺亚希望奥利弗会哭出来，于是继续追问：“她是怎么死的，济贫院的小崽子？”
‘Of a broken heart, I was told.’ And a tear rolled down Oliver’s cheek.
“听说是心碎而死。”一滴眼泪顺着奥利弗的脸颊滚落下来。
‘Why are you crying, Workhouse?’
“你哭什么，济贫院的小崽子？”
Oliver remained silent, and Noah grew braver. ‘You know, I feel very sorry for you, Workhouse, but the truth is your mother was a wicked woman.’
奥利弗保持沉默，诺亚的胆子便大了起来。“你知道吗，我很同情你，济贫院的小崽子，但事实是你妈妈是个坏女人。”
Oliver seemed suddenly to wake up. ‘What did you say?’
奥利弗仿佛突然惊醒了一般。“你说什么？”
‘She was so bad it was lucky she died, or she would have ended up in prison, or hung.’
“她太坏了，死了倒是她的运气，否则迟早要进监狱，或者被绞死。”
His face bright red with anger, Oliver jumped up, seized Noah’s throat, and shook the older boy so violently that his teeth nearly fell out.
奥利弗气得满脸通红，猛地跳起来，掐住诺亚的脖子，剧烈地摇晃着这个大男孩，差点把他的牙齿都摇掉了。
Then he hit him with all his strength and knocked him to the ground.
接着他用尽全身力气一拳将他打倒在地。
‘He’ll murder me!’ screamed Noah. ‘Charlotte! Help! Oliver’s gone mad —’
“他要杀了我！”诺亚尖叫道，“夏洛特！救命啊！奥利弗疯了——”
Charlotte and Mrs Sowerberry ran in and screamed in horror. They took hold of Oliver and began to beat him.
夏洛特和索厄伯里太太跑进来，惊恐地尖叫着。她们抓住奥利弗开始殴打他。
Then Noah got up and started to kick him from behind. When they were all tired, they forced Oliver, who was still fighting and shouting, into the cellar and locked it.
随后诺亚爬起来，从后面踢他。等他们都打累了，就把还在挣扎喊叫的奥利弗强行推进地窖并锁上了门。
Mrs Sowerberry sat down, breathing heavily. ‘He’s like a wild animal!’ she said. ‘We could all have been murdered in our beds!’
索厄伯里太太坐下来，喘着粗气说：“他简直像头野兽！我们差点都要在床上被他谋杀了！”
‘I hope Mr Sowerberry doesn’t take any more of these dreadful creatures from the workhouse,’ said Charlotte. ‘Poor Noah was nearly killed!’ Mrs Sowerberry looked at Noah sympathetically.
“但愿索厄伯里先生别再从济贫院领回这种可怕的生物了，”夏洛特说，“可怜的诺亚差点就没命了！”索厄伯里太太同情地看着诺亚。
Noah, who was twice Oliver’s size, pretended to rub tears from his eyes.
体型是奥利弗两倍的诺亚假装揉着眼睛擦眼泪。
‘What shall we do?’ cried Mrs Sowerberry. ‘He’ll kick that door down in ten minutes.’ They could hear Oliver banging and kicking at the cellar door. ‘Noah — run and get Mr Bumble.’
“我们该怎么办？”索厄伯里太太叫道，“再过十分钟他就要把门踢破了。”他们能听到奥利弗在地窖门上又砸又踢的声音。“诺亚——快去请邦布尔先生。”
So Noah ran through the streets as quickly as he could to fetch the beadle. When he reached the workhouse, he waited for a minute to make sure his face was suitably tearful and frightened.
于是诺亚以最快的速度穿过街道去请干事。到达济贫院后，他等了一分钟，确保自己的表情看起来足够泪眼汪汪且惊慌失措。
As soon as Mr Bumble came out, Noah cried, ‘Mr Bumble! Mr Bumble! It’s Oliver Twist, sir. He’s become violent. He tried to murder me, sir! And Charlotte, and Mrs Sowerberry as well.’
邦布尔先生一出来，诺亚就哭喊道：“邦布尔先生！邦布尔先生！是奥利弗·特威斯特，先生。他变得暴力了。他想谋杀我，先生！还有夏洛特和索厄伯里太太！”
Mr Bumble was shocked and angry. ‘Did he? I’ll come up there immediately and beat him with my stick.’
邦布尔先生既震惊又愤怒。“是吗？我这就过去用拐杖揍他一顿。”
When he arrived at the shop, Oliver was still kicking wildly at the cellar door.
当他赶到店里时，奥利弗还在疯狂地踢着地窖的门。
‘Let me out!’ he shouted from the cellar, when he heard Mr Bumble’s voice. ‘I’m not afraid of you!’
听到邦布尔先生的声音，奥利弗在地窖里大喊：“放我出去！我不怕你！”
Mr Bumble stopped for a moment, amazed and even rather frightened by this change in Oliver. Then he said to Mrs Sowerberry, ‘It’s the meat that’s caused this, you know.’
邦布尔先生愣了一下，对奥利弗的这种转变感到惊讶甚至有点害怕。然后他对索厄伯里太太说：“你知道，这都是吃肉惹的祸。”
‘What?’
“什么？”
‘Meat, madam. You’ve fed him too well here. Back in the workhouse this would never have happened.’
“肉，夫人。你们在这里把他喂得太好了。在济贫院里这种事绝不会发生。”
‘I knew I was too generous to him,’ said Mrs Sowerberry, raising her eyes to the ceiling.
“我就知道我对他太仁慈了，”索厄伯里太太说着，双眼望向天花板。
At that moment Mr Sowerberry returned and, hearing what had happened (according to the ladies), he beat Oliver so hard that even Mr Bumble and Mrs Sowerberry were satisfied.
就在这时，索厄伯里先生回来了，听了女士们讲述的事情经过后，他把奥利弗狠狠揍了一顿，连邦布尔先生和索厄伯里太太都觉得满意了。
Mr Sowerberry was not a cruel man, but he had no choice. He knew that if he didn’t punish Oliver, his wife would never forgive him.
索厄伯里先生并非残忍之人，但他别无选择。他知道如果不惩罚奥利弗，妻子永远不会原谅他。
That night, alone in the room with the coffins, Oliver cried bitter, lonely tears.
那天夜里，奥利弗独自待在堆放棺材的房间里，流下了痛苦而孤独的眼泪。
He did not sleep, and very early in the morning, before anyone was awake, he quietly unlocked the shop door and left the house.
他没有睡觉，清晨天还没亮，趁大家都还在熟睡，他悄悄打开店门离开了家。
He ran up the street and through the town as far as the main road, where he saw a sign that told him it was just seventy miles from there to London.
他沿着街道跑出小镇，一直跑到大路上，在那里看到一块路牌，显示此地距离伦敦只有七十英里。
The name London gave the boy an idea. That huge place! Nobody, not even Mr Bumble, could ever find him there!
“伦敦”这个名字让男孩萌生了一个念头。那个巨大的地方！在那里没人能找到他，就连邦布尔先生也不行！
He had heard old men in the workhouse say it was a good place for brave boys, and that there was always work there for those that wanted it. It would be the best place for him. He jumped to his feet and walked forward again.
他曾听济贫院的老人们说，那是勇敢男孩的好去处，只要愿意干活，那里总有活计。那将是他最好的归宿。他一跃而起，再次迈步前行。
But after only four miles he began to realize just how far he would have to walk. He stopped to think about it.
但仅仅走了四英里，他就开始意识到前路是多么漫长。他停下来思考了一下。
He had a piece of bread, a rough shirt, two pairs of socks and a penny. But he could not see how these would help him get to London any faster, so he continued walking.
他只有一块面包、一件粗布衬衫、两双袜子和一个便士。但他看不出这些东西能帮他更快到达伦敦，于是只好继续赶路。
He walked twenty miles that day. The only thing he had to eat was his piece of bread and some water which he begged from houses near the road.
那天他走了二十英里。他唯一的食物就是那块面包，以及从路边人家讨来的一些水。
He slept the first night in a field, feeling lonely, tired, cold and hungry.
第一晚他在田野里过夜，感到孤独、疲惫、寒冷和饥饿。
He was even hungrier the next morning when he woke up, and he had to buy some more bread with his penny. That day he walked only twelve miles. His legs were so weak that they shook beneath him.
第二天早上醒来时他更饿了，不得不用那个便士买了一些面包。那天他只走了十二英里。他的双腿虚弱得直打颤。
The next day he tried to beg for money, but large signs in some villages warned him that anyone caught begging would be sent to prison.
第三天他试着乞讨钱财，但一些村庄里竖立的大牌子警告他，任何被抓到行乞的人都将被送进监狱。
Travellers on the road refused to give him money; they said he was a lazy young dog and didn’t deserve anything.
路上的行人拒绝给他钱，说他是个懒惰的小混蛋，不配得到任何东西。
Farmers threatened to send their dogs after him. When he waited outside pubs, the pub-owners chased him away because they thought he had come to steal something.
农夫们威胁要放狗咬他。当他在酒馆外等候时，酒馆老板把他赶走，以为他是来偷东西的。
Only two people were kind enough to feed him: an old woman and a gate-keeper on the road. If they had not given him some food, he surely would have died like his mother.
只有两个人好心给了他食物：一位老妇人和一位路上的守门人。如果不是他们给了些吃的，他肯定就会像他母亲一样死去。
Early on the seventh morning of his journey, Oliver finally reached the little town of Barnet, just outside London.
在旅途第七天的清晨，奥利弗终于抵达了伦敦郊外的小镇巴尼特。
Exhausted, he sat down at the side of the road. His feet were bleeding and he was covered in dust. He was too tired even to beg.
筋疲力尽的他坐在路边。双脚流血不止，浑身沾满尘土。他累得连乞讨的力气都没了。
Then he noticed that a boy, who had passed him a few minutes before, had returned, and was now looking at him carefully from the opposite side of the road.
这时他注意到，几分钟前从他身边经过的一个男孩又回来了，正隔着马路仔细打量着他。
After a long time the boy crossed the road and said to Oliver, ‘Hello! What’s the matter then?’
过了许久，那男孩穿过马路对奥利弗说：“嘿！你怎么了？”
The boy was about Oliver’s age, but was one of the strangest-looking people he has ever seen.
这男孩年纪和奥利弗相仿，却是奥利弗见过的长相最古怪的人之一。
He had a dirty, ordinary boy’s face, but he behaved as if he were an adult.
他长着一张脏兮兮的普通男孩面孔，举止却像个成年人。
He was short for his age and had little, sharp, ugly eyes. His hat was stuck on top of his head but it looked as though it would blow off at any minute.
相对于年龄来说他个子偏矮，眼睛细小、锐利且难看。帽子歪扣在头顶，看起来随时会被风吹走。
He wore a man’s coat which reached almost down to his feet, with sleeves so long that his hands were completely covered.
他穿着一件几乎垂到脚面的男式外套，袖子长得完全遮住了双手。
‘I’m very tired and hungry,’ answered Oliver, almost crying. ‘I’ve been walking for a week.’
“我又累又饿，”奥利弗回答道，差点哭出来，“我已经走了一个星期了。”
‘A week! The magistrate’s order, was it?’
“一个星期！是治安官的命令吧？”
‘The magistrate? What’s that?’
“治安官？那是什么？”
‘A magistrate’s a kind of judge,’ explained the surprised young gentleman. He realized Oliver did not have much experience of the world.
“治安官就是一种法官，”这位惊讶的小绅士解释道。他意识到奥利弗没什么社会阅历。
‘Never mind that. You want some food,’ he went on. ‘I haven’t got much money but don’t worry — I’ll pay.’
“别管那个了。你想吃点东西，”他接着说，“我没多少钱，不过别担心——我来付账。”
The boy helped Oliver to his feet, and took him to a pub. Meat, bread, and beer were placed before Oliver, and his new friend urged him to satisfy his hunger.
男孩扶起奥利弗，带他去了一家酒馆。肉、面包和啤酒摆在了奥利弗面前，新朋友催促他赶紧填饱肚子。
While Oliver was eating, the strange boy looked at him from time to time with great attention.
奥利弗吃饭的时候，这个奇怪的男孩时不时非常专注地看他几眼。
‘Going to London?’ he asked him finally.
“要去伦敦吗？”他终于开口问道。
‘Yes.’
“是的。”
‘Got anywhere to live?’
“有住的地方吗？”
‘No.’
“没有。”
‘Money?’
“有钱吗？”
‘No.’
“没有。”
The strange boy whistled, and put his arms into his pockets as far as the big coat sleeves would allow him. ‘I suppose you want to sleep somewhere tonight, don’t you?’
怪男孩吹了声口哨，把手深深插进大衣口袋直到袖子的极限处。“我想你今晚得找个地方睡觉，对吧？”
‘I do,’ replied Oliver. ‘I haven’t slept under a roof since I started my journey.’
“是啊，”奥利弗回答，“自从上路以来，我就没在屋檐下睡过觉。”
‘Well, don’t worry. I’ve got to be in London tonight, and I know a very nice old gentleman there who’ll let you live in his place and not even ask you for money!’
“好吧，别担心。我今晚也得回伦敦，我认识那儿一位非常好的老先生，他会让你住在他那儿，甚至不收你的钱！”
Oliver was deeply grateful for this offer of shelter and talked for a long time with his new friend.
奥利弗对这份提供住所的善意深表感激，和新朋友聊了很久。
His name was Jack Dawkins, but he was usually called ‘The Artful Dodger’.
他名叫杰克·道金斯，但通常被称为“机灵鬼”（The Artful Dodger）。
‘Artful’ because he was very clever at getting what he wanted; and ‘Dodger’ because he was very good at not getting caught when he did something wrong.
“Artful”（机灵）是因为他想要什么总能巧妙地弄到手；“Dodger”（躲闪者）是因为他干了坏事总能巧妙地逃脱惩罚。
When he heard this, Oliver felt rather doubtful about having such a friend.
听到这些，奥利弗对结交这样的朋友感到颇为疑虑。
However, he wanted first to meet the kind old gentleman in London, who would help him. After that, he could decide whether to continue the friendship with the Artful Dodger.
然而，他想先去见见伦敦那位能帮助他的善良老先生。在那之后，再决定是否继续与“机灵鬼”保持友谊。
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